Archives For November 30, 1999

The Art of the Steal was the most engaging documentary I’ve seen in a long time. It’s about the Barnes Foundation, which houses the most priceless art collection in the United States. When Dr. Albert Barnes died, he left specific instructions in his will for how the art should be displayed and protected, but many people and organizations had other ideas for his collection.
Like any good documentary, this film had me angry and up in arms by the end. As a warning: it’s definitely a slanted telling of the story, but it’s a slant I happen to agree with. With its simple premise, this film explores complex themes of the meaning of art, how art should be displayed, principles of private ownership, and moral obligations as a society. It’s definitely worth a rent. I dare you to not feel passionately about the Barnes Foundation by the end of it.

You can say a lot of things about Scott Pilgrim vs the World, but you can’t say it isn’t fun. This film was unlike anything I’ve seen, straddling realms of video games and comic books, with bits of reality thrown in. Video game icons and comic book expletives garnished the screen, which was weird, to say the least. But I think it worked for the feel of the film, and every once in a while they were used in a clever way.

 
There were lots of good moments where the film’s cleverness surprised me. The character banter had more wit than anything I’ve seen in a while. Having said that, there were a few things that bugged me a lot: one of the exes breaks into song (ugh), Pilgrim waits by the door right after making an Amazon purchase, and there are a few parts where swear words are bleeped out. I thought all these elements pushed things too far, and because they weren’t funny, they didn’t carry enough weight to support themselves. There were also times when the film felt like it was a person trying really hard to be cool.

Despite its faults, this film left me with overwhelming fuzzy feelings of geekiness (it might have been the old-school Sega and Nintendo sounds scattered throughout). In the end, I liked the way it was written, and I thought it was much funnier than the “comedies” that have plagued theaters recently (Dinner for Schmucks, The Other Guys).

I definitely recommend seeing this in theater, especially because there isn’t anything else coming out until the end of October (Let Me In). It’s a sad year, folks. Better get your ya ya’s out while you can.

It’s going to take me forever to post all the cool stuff at Comic-Con, so I hope my readers will bear with my self-indulgence. Here are two panels that I wasn’t excited for, but that won me over with their Comic-Con charm and super-cool movie clips.

If you couldn’t tell from the picture, Will Ferrell dressed up like Megamind for the movie’s panel, which I have to say, was pretty charming. There weren’t as many people who dressed up this year, and it was fun to see an actor go the extra mile and do something that took time and effort. Not to mention, his banter with Tina Fey and Jonah Hill made the panel the funniest at the Con.
The clips also made the movie look better than I’d thought. I’m going to give away a little bit of a spoiler, but I think it’s worth sharing because it made me want to see the movie. It was clear that Megamind kills Metroman at the beginning of the film, and that the rest of the film deals with Megamind coping with the boredom that comes after killing his archnemesis. It seemed like a much more sophisticated plot than the previews had shown.
The Cowboys and Aliens panel was a surprise hit. First of all, it was Harrisson Ford’s first appearance at Comic-Con (hence he made it look like it took handcuffs and an escort to get him there). Since Ford is a geek god between Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Blade Runner, it was the most insane reception I’ve ever seen in my 5 years in Hall H. Between the screaming and roaring applause, it felt like the walls were going to cave in.
The panel also included Daniel Craig and Sam Rockwell. What could be cooler than Indiana Jones, James Bond, and Justin Hammer all in one place? I acknowledge the dumbess of the title Cowboys and Aliens, but the actors were impressive and the clips looked pretty awesome– like a classic western with some aliens thrown in. I was sold.

Comic-Con Sunday

Ashley Walton —  July 26, 2010 — 3 Comments

My last day at geek mecca. However, this isn’t the end of my Comic-Con blog posts, because I have lots of stuff to fill in.

The cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia unveiled their premiere for next season. It’s entitled, “Who got Dee pregnant?” and needless to say, it’s hilarious. Kaitlin Olson, the actress who plays Sweet Dee, actually showed up to Comic-Con with a bun in the oven. The main characters also had Cricket on stage with them and assured us that the gang is not through torturing poor Cricket.
                                  
This was one of the highlights of my day– these two girls “dressed up” like Hall H victims. In case you haven’t heard, on Saturday, two guys got into a scuffle over a seat in Hall H and one guy stabbed the other in the eye with a pen. I was there, and I can tell you, the seat wasn’t even good.
                              
The final hurrah of Comic-Con was the screening of the Buffy episode “Once More With Feeling,” which is a sing-along with a Rocky Horror vibe to it. I yelled “Shut up, Dawn!” so many times that I lost my voice. We also yelled, “Bite me!” whenever Spike appeared on screen and “Liar!” when Buffy tells Spike she’s never going to be with him and when Xander tells Anya he’ll never leave her. If that wasn’t enough fun, we were given clever traffic tickets (which I’ll post later) and little monster finger puppets (so we could say, “Grrr! Arrrgh!” during the closing credits).

So I’ve been a bad girl, and I didn’t update my blog yesterday, which means I’m bursting to get tons of cool stuff off my chest. The last two days have been insane. Let’s start with what blew my mind the most.

THE ENTIRE AVENGERS CAST WAS REVEALED! Not only was the cast revealed, but everyone showed up, along with the film’s writer/director Joss Whedon. I kid you not, I had geek chills. I lost my voice screaming. So the big reveal everyone’s been waiting for: The Hulk will be played by Mark Ruffalo. And surprise! Jeremy Renner will play Hawkeye.
I have the highest hopes for The Avengers movie. It would be difficult for most writers and directors to juggle so many strong characters and actors at one time, but Whedon has experience doing exactly that with Firefly and Serenity. And I can’t wait for him to write some snarky lines for Tony Stark (snarky wit is another of Whedon’s specialties). I think he’s going to blow people away.
                                         
The highlight of the Green Lantern panel, believe it or not, was not the film footage (which was short and didn’t show much– it didn’t even show the suit). In fact, the highlight was when a young fan asked Reynolds to recite the Green Lantern oath, which he had refused to do on many other  occasions. You could see the kid brighten up and renew his love for comic book heroes as Reynolds said the lines in his best heroic voice.
                                                
Unlike the Green Lantern panel, the Thor panel showed a lot of polished footage. Visually, it looks great. The color palette, set design, and other-world feel was done well. Plus, I’m a sucker for Natalie Portman. What geek isn’t?
                                      
The Captain America footage was more like a teaser. It’s definitely going to be his origin story, set during WW II. What we saw, clearly showed what Marvel has already hinted at– that they’re carefully interweaving all their different characters into one universe, which isn’t an easy thing to do. The stories overlap slightly, and all the characters exist on the same plane, culminating in the big movie everyone’s waiting for– the Avengers. Pretty effing cool.
As a side note, there was a stabbing in Hall H today while I was there. It was pretty crazy. I guess a fan got into a scuffle and stabbed someone in the eye over a seat. The whole thing was so unexpected. Nothing like that has ever happened at Comic-Con. Geeks are such a peaceful people.

Comic-Con Thursday

Ashley Walton —  July 23, 2010 — 3 Comments

So here’s the scoop on what happened at Comic-Con today. I’m not gonna lie, some pretty freaking awesome stuff went down.

Jaw-dropping moment today: Guillermo del Toro announced he’ll be directing a remake of Disney’s Haunted Mansion. He beamed as he made his announcement and explained that he has an entire room in his house devoted to the spooky Disneyland ride. He says this film will not be a comedy; it will be scary but fun. He also assured the crowd, “Don’t worry, we have not been returning Eddie Murphy’s calls.” I love Guillermo del Toro.

At the Tron panel, they showed some amazing footage. I now have more faith in the film than I ever did. The film shows the Jeff Bridges you see before you, but it also shows a digitally-altered Jeff Bridges, who appears 27 years younger. The effects are seemless. Check out the exclusive Comic-Con trailer here  http//:g4tv.com/videos/47595/Tron-Legacy-Comic-Con-2010-Trailer/
In case you haven’t heard, I’m at Comic-Con. The geek fest leaves me tired at the end of the day, but I’m going to try to leave little blog posts everyday, and I’ll fill in the blanks later. So here’s the coolest stuff from today.
                                    
Light cycle from Tron.
Set piece: throne room from Thor.
True Blood is coming out with a comic.
Tron Wii remote.
Prop from the Green Lantern movie: Abin Sur (the alien who gives Green Lantern his powers).
Got trapped in an action figure package.
Predator head.
Played with zombie movie props. Yes, that’s two chainsaws ducktaped onto a paddle.
While I’m at the Con, I’m constantly tweeting, and I upload photos to my Twitter first, so follow AshleyGeekGirl on Twitter if you want all the juicy details.
Inception was delicious eye candy. I’m not ashamed to say it, and I’m not ashamed I liked it. But I don’t intend to watch it again, unlike many others who have seen the film. The story was interesting, the writing was good, and the acting was par. But it was the visual aspect that grabbed me—I’m glad I saw it in IMAX.

I’m gonna cut to the chase—the visuals had me drooling the entire time. It wasn’t too over-the-top or incohesive (like a Terry Gilliam mess) and it wasn’t what the layman labels “creative” (like M. Night Shyamalan or Tim Burton). It was actually different and interesting.

Between the beautiful shots of people fighting while floating and cities folding into themselves, there were certain inconsistencies within this world that did not make sense to me. But that goes with the territory when you see a film like this, and it’s almost unavoidable. You just have to set all your logic on the shelf before the film begins. Luckily, the story and the visuals will soothe your logic-less brain. And after walking away, don’t bother wasting time pondering the film’s contradictions or lapses in logic.

I recommend a one-time must-see. It’s the film everyone’s talking about, and you’ll be shunned from social circles and awkwardly ostracized at parties if you don’t see it. But you don’t have to succumb to peer pressure and pretend you’re going to see it twice.

So don’t hate me, but this post isn’t a movie review. It’s about Joss Whedon and Morgan Spurlock’s upcoming documentary “Comic-Con Episode Four: A Fan’s Hope.” I think the title’s pretty self-explanatory.
They posted several calls to action, asking geeks to write them for a chance to be in the documentary. So I did. And I just got an email from the casting director and we’re supposed to have a phone interview this week, so wish me luck!
Below is my little blurb I submitted, explaining my undying love for Comic-Con.
……………………………………
 A little about myself
Name: Ashley Walton
Age: 23
Location: Spanish Fork, Utah
Occupation: Copywriter
Favorite ComicCon Memory: Dancing with Tim and Eric at the 2008 Adult Swim Party
Hobbies: Going to concerts, reading graphic novels, throwing LAN parties, playing Buffy on Xbox, watching Firefly for the fifth time, playing Star Wars monopoly, collecting DVDs, and watching every horror movie I can get my hands on.
Somewhere around April, I begin to feel giddy anticipation for the end of July. My first time at ComicCon, I was fourteen, and the reasons I loved it then are the same reasons I love it now— and it’s not just the super cool merchandise like zombie teddy bears and obscure T-shirts (although I do love my Fruity Oaty Bar tee). It happens to be the camaraderie, that and the sheer absurdity and whimsicalness of it all.
Every year I make the pilgrimage to geek Mecca with my brother. Together we battle lines snaking all the way to the ocean to enjoy panels featuring the pantheon of geek gods and watch 2-minute peeks of movies that will come out a year later. We accumulate geek points by playing our private game “Name That Obscure Cos-Play Character” and I knock his socks off with my vast knowledge of Hoth and Miyazaki. We wake up at unholy hours to beat the crowds and snag a coveted parking space beneath the convention center. We have long conversations about comic book writing and argue over the merit of The Big Bang Theory. We trek all over the gas lamp district of San Diego and find ourselves in sidewalk cafes or grocery stores inhabited by superheroes and steampunk gents. And there’s something really beautiful about the whole thing.
I run around trying to soak up everything I can. I don’t have just one obsession—I love it all. After deciding which day to wear my Beatrix Kiddo track suit and which day to wear my Jayne Cobb hat, I walk the immense distributer floor several times, yes, even completing vendor scavenger hunts to win Emily the Strange souvenirs and running through the crowds to be the first to snatch tickets to exclusive movie screenings, and of course, collecting the daily Warner Brothers’ bag to hold all my schwag. I test out the video games, peruse the artist’s corner, get snapshots with actors (and people with awesome costumes), have comics signed by writers, and wait in insanely long lines for the good stuff in Hall H (although braving the Twilight fans is the scariest thing at ComicCon).
I love ComicCon. Comic Con is a gathering of 150 thousand of my peeps. It’s amazing to find yourself in this realm where everyone cares about the same things you do, everyone gets your obscure references and jokes, everyone is comfortable with each other. There’s an unspoken code of acceptance. The guy who spends his nights barricaded in comic book stores playing Magic the Gathering fits in here. The insomniac who’s obsessed with beating Mass Effect 2 while buzzed on seven energy drinks fits in here. The fanatic who insists on always wearing their Star Trek turtle neck under their clothes fits in here. The casual blogger who hasn’t read a single comic book, but loves movies fits in here. Everyone has a neat little space. No one is turned away (well, unless you didn’t grab your ticket far enough in advance—then you’re screwed).
ComicCon is time set apart to bond with my fellow man, including my best friend, my brother. It’s a consecrated time of peace and unity, when everything feels right. It’s a time to put the world aside, and connect with your inner-kid. In my case, it’s a time when my entire family (all of us grown with jobs across the nation) takes a vacation and meets up in San Diego, because no one wants to miss out on the fun.
 

Kick-Ass is not your mom’s superhero movie. It’s better.
Based on the comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr., this film is about a kid who decides to dress up like a superhero, fight evils of the world, and get his ass kicked. From the beginning it teems with dialogue to make you chuckle. By the end, you can’t suppress long-winded laughter.
 
Our main hero, affectionately called Kick-Ass, is played by Aaron Johnson— an actor made tabloid-famous for knocking up the director of his to-be-released follow-up film. But he owns Kick-Ass. Playing the geeky awkward kid, it would’ve been easy for him to slip into faux Michael Cera mode, but he doesn’t. He makes the character his own, and he’s relatable and likable.
 
As much as I love the title hero, the show-stealer is Hit Girl, played by my official favorite little actress: Chloë Moretz. Previously, she stole scenes in 500 Days of Summer. In Kick-Ass, this girl delivers her lines with such dry wit, you can’t help but adore her. Plus she’s the character who really does kick ass. As she swore like a sailor and brutally killed villains, my friend sitting next to me said, “Awww. She’s so cute.” Now that’s talent.
 

Putting aside the awesome actors, there’s only one word to describe the plot: fun.

 
At one point, the plot takes a turn that’s a little too over-the-top for my taste, but it’s a detail near the end that doesn’t hurt the film much.
 
Catch Kick-Ass in theaters with friends. It’s a blast.